By Dan Walsh
The Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) will hold a community information meeting about water quality on Tuesday, September 30th at 7pm in the Bunclody Golf and Fishing Club, Bunclody (Y21 N922). Members of the public, including community groups and interested individuals, are invited to attend.
The Slaney Catchment, spanning parts of Wicklow, Carlow, and much of Wexford, is one of five pilot sites in Ireland. The meeting will update progress on creating a pilot Catchment Community Forum for the Slaney.
The pilot is scheduled to operate for several more years. The meeting will address water quality and project funding related to water quality initiatives in the Slaney Catchment.
The meeting follows last year’s successful full-day workshop with community groups and catchment representatives.
This initiative encourages public involvement in Ireland’s Water Action Plan (2024–2027), which outlines how water quality will be restored and protected across all 46 river catchments.
A key part of the River Basin Management Plan is establishing a Catchment Community Forum to involve local communities in water quality issues.
The Slaney catchment was chosen due to its role in the South East region, the characteristics of water quality issues present, and the involvement of local community groups.
The Catchment Community Forum (CCF) is designed as a consultative platform focusing on water quality issues in the Slaney area. It will serve as a channel for regional and national decision-making processes concerning the management of natural waters in the Slaney Catchment.
The CCF will enable local discussion of water quality data, support community initiatives, and offer a way to impact environmental plans and projects, such as Local Catchment Management Plans.
Tuesday’s meeting will cover the structure of the Slaney Catchment Community Forum, ways to participate, and the nomination process.
This meeting is being held as one of five pilot areas in Ireland, as part of the Water Action Plan, to examine ways of incorporating community perspectives into catchment management work plans. Public participation in water management is included as an element in efforts to protect and restore water quality nationwide.
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